MAC viva glam III matte lipstick – every penny donated to MAC AIDS fund

I love a MAC lippie – no matter which finish (matte, satin, lustre, cremesheen, glaze, etc), they seem to stay put on my lips, not dry them out, are in shades that are unexpected and modern, and aren’t ridiculously expensive (starting at £15.50 each).

Viva Glam III is a matte lipstick used to raise money for MAC’s AIDS fund – every penny (and cent) from the sale of the lipsticks goes to the charity (less VAT). There are 6 shades in the collection, the first one of which was launched in 1994, plus they do limited editions with celebs to boost sales, the current one being a Miley Cyrus one.

This brownish-plum one feels like a grown up shade with a modern twist. The shade has a whitening effect on teeth, which is always a bonus. It stays put even when I naughtily apply it straight from the tube – sometimes can’t be bothered with the faff of a lip pencil. It doesn’t cake on lips, nor does it stain so at the end of the day it comes off nice and smooth.

It’s quite a dramatic colour, which I think would suit most skin tones. I’m tempted to buy Viva Glam I – an ‘intense brownish blue-red’ – I am sure I have one similar to the shade in my collection, but hey it’s a charitable donation too 🙂